Supreme Court Orders West Bengal to Clear DA Arrears

The Supreme Court has directed the West Bengal government to disburse 25% of the overdue Dearness Allowance (DA) to its employees within three months. This interim order is expected to benefit around six lakh state employees.

A bench consisting of Justices Sanjay Karol and Sandeep Mehta mandated this directive after hearing the state's plea against the Calcutta High Court's previous order. The bench has scheduled further hearings for August, highlighting the ongoing implications for the state budget.

The financial burden stands at Rs 10,000 crore for this settlement, as estimated by senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi. The DA arrears are an outcome of a legal battle initiated when employees sought parity with central government DA rates, a move supported by a May 2022 High Court ruling.

(With inputs from agencies.)